MINNEAPOLIS – What’s going on with the Brooklyn Nets has reached train-wreck status, where you don’t want to look but you can’t help it. Then, after you do, you feel a little guilty for slowing. And maybe in need of a shower.

The Nets’ early-season crisis is pushing toward its fourth week after the 111-81 dismantling by the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night at Target Center. At 3-9, this team of high expectations and low returns has dropped four in a row and seven of its past eight, falling to 1-7 on the road and seemingly clueless in this funk.

Don’t take our word for it. Check out this postgame comment from rookie coach Jason Kidd, in what apparently was meant to be a positive:

“In the first half, we cut it to 16 and then we gave up a six-point play. And then it just got away from us.”

Kidd had conflated a couple things – the Nets had crept as close as 59-43 in the third quarter when a technical foul and a flagrant-1 foul by veteran Kevin Garnett on Minnesota’s Kevin Love turned into three free throws and a 3-pointer by Corey Brewer in a span of 11 seconds. A few minutes later, the Wolves pushed ahead by 30 and kept it near that the rest of the way.

Seriously, though, Kidd’s quote seemed sardonic, self-deprecating, something fit for SNL. No one in the Nets’ locker room was laughing, but with more of the same, there will be some hearty guffaws coming from outside it.

As in, have you heard this one yet? “I don’t know how many times we’ve had the lead – maybe against Washington – but…” Kidd said, when asked about Brooklyn’s familiarity and thus presumed ability to play from behind. Yikes. This squad laden with former All-Stars, reaching back to an overtime loss against the mediocre Wizards two weeks ago in search of a lead – that’s just sad.

But the Nets began the night ranked 25th in defense (107.5 rating) and 21st on offense (102.0) and got worse in both categories against the Wolves. They have given up 22 more 3-pointers than they’ve made, 21 more offensive rebounds than they’ve grabbed.

Garnett is averaging 6.7 points and 7.8 rebounds. Pierce has shot 7-for-34 since returning from a groin strain three games ago. Joe Johnson‘s 13.4 ppg is his lowest in more than a decade and his 15 points at Target Center were strictly no-impact. And on and on.

Afterward, the mood was subdued, chastened, their fight gone at least until they’re back in the tank Sunday at home against Detroit. If this were going on in Cleveland or Portland or a bunch of other less intense markets, there might be a shot at the patience and clear heads the Nets will need to dig out, one quarter at a time.

But in that town? With this roster and payroll? With hopes so high and games coming as quickly as they are now?

Whoa. Just whoa.

“This is what it is,” Garnett said. “We created this monster and we have to deal with it. You have the business of basketball come into play, I’m sure. And management’s probably going to do what it’s got to do, and that’s out of our hands.”

All righty then, that’s cracking open an ominous door…

Garnett also said: “It’s pretty much everything right now. We’re trying to soul search right now and see who we are. Each individual has to look at ourselves in the mirror and see what they can do better. Period. Point blank. We’re better than this. What you gonna do, you gonna quit? Quit is not an option.

“It’s November. We’ve still got, what, four, five months to go. We’ve got a lot of basketball to play.”

16 Comments

if you follow the nets,they are losing to young and atlectics teams,who they can not seem to stop on the defensive end.i love jason kidd but i do not think he was prepared to coach this team with so much pressure to win now,i realized larry bird and mark jackson was head coach was no prior coaching experience but they did not this aging roster and payroll to win now.the nets have no options because all of the player have no true trade value with the exception of maybe lopez.most of the roster is overpaid and they gave up most of their draft picks,the n.y.knicks tried this same strategy of getting aging star players past their prime to mount a push for the championship,you see how well that worked out.one suggestion build through the draft like the small market teams and then add a few veterans,ie san antonio,okc,golden state,houston.the will be in the hunt for a championship for years to come.not like the brooklyn nets or the new york knicks.

@fluke nope lakers last season? They’re much worst than BKN… Pau Nash kobe world peace HOWARD… laker fans crowning them already before the season starts…. So you don’t hear this?? MIAMI got Big 3 that’s Cute, we got lakers fantastic five!!! WHAT???? fantastic five???? on BKN, after the trade with celtics, A lot of people including media people doubt them already, age, physical conditions.. they even lined them to the 2012 lakers…. And there is no surprise at all…. They are both look promising on PAPER….

as ive said all along even before the season started, even before garnet talking garbage against lebron, this brooklyn nets is a joke, indiana, bulls even the knicks gonna destroy them, now where is that big mouth of garnet? at least allen got more championship than him, what is garnet averaging this season? lol

I thought this front line was great when they got KG and Lopez upfront backup by Blatche and Evans. Backcourt they got jet and PP and JJ.
I guess father time caught up but I think this team is really too talented to miss the playoffs.

1. this team is way too old to withstand an 82 game season – plus go deep into the playoffs without either players getting inured or burnt-out.
2. Jason Kidd as a coach is a 50/50 gamble, it was a risk to bring him as the head coach, everybody thought he would be like Mark Jackson with the Warriors .. wrong!
3. most importantly.. CHEMISTRY! chemistry is not something that happens in the first year, it takes time to build chemistry, time that these old men don’t have ..
4. Which brings me to the most obvious and rational argument … Why the **** would Paul Pierce and KG want to go to Brooklyn thinking of winning a championship ? If they were both serious about winning another championship then they would have went their separate ways and joined actual CONTENDING teams that they would fit on as complimentary pieces/ role players at their ages it would make more sense …
If Pierce would have joined OKC for example then his chances of winning a championship would have been much more likelier than what it is now .. And if KG joined the Rockets for example then his chances of winning a championship would be better than what it is now .. Brooklyn should have learned from other attempts at building a *win now team* .. it doesn’t work like that.

I think they need to look at the roster and realize that the chemistry isn’t there, the leadership is not there and the talent is not there …
I always thought Deron Williams was overrated…Maybe they should trade him for Rondo ?